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MAN OF THE YEAR
Written and Directed by: Barry
Levinson (RAIN MAN, DINER)
Starring: Robin Williams,
Christopher Walken,
Lewis Black(The Daily Show),
Laura Linney(KINSEY)
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hour 55 min.
MAN OF THE YEAR tells the "What-if?" story of Tom Dobbs, a comedian who
hosts a hugely popular Jon Stewart-type political comedy show on television.
After one of his audience members suggests that he run for President of The
United States, he succeeds in pulling off a huge upset by actually being
elected to office.
Barry Levinson directs this film and has shown in the past that he has gifts
with both comedy and drama and the crossover that exists within both. He has
put together a cast that is both relatable and funny but who also have shown
the more sensitive sides to the characters they have played.
While the film is being marketed as a Robin Williams Comedy....it isn't
really. It is more a comment on politics and the system of voting in the
U.S. Laura Linney plays Eleanor Green, who works for the company that
provides the computerized voting machines that will be used in the election.
When she discovers a glitch in the system, she is actually hunted down by
the greedy owners of the company who are making huge money off their product
and wish to silence her. This turns the film into somewhat of a thriller and
moral-dilemma type drama, which I felt made the second half of the film more
interesting. I think the audience is not expecting this kind of film when
they buy their tickets and some of them might be disappointed that there is
not more broad comedy to be found.
The acting is good - how can it not be with this company of actors? - but
Laura Linney stood out and had a real range of character which was quite
interesting to watch.
A nice idea to try to show the funny business behind the political process,
but it just wasn't executed well enough to be a really good film.
2 1/2 out of 5 |
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